Also called Northern Maidenhair Fern.
Dark, wiry stalks branch beneath delicate green leaflets, creating the distinctive spreading fans of Northern Maidenhair Fern.
Maidenhair Fern. Select the photo to open the gallery.
Plant group Fern
Life cycle Perennial
Reproduction Spores
Habitat Moist, shaded woods and wooded slopes
Explore reported observations. Sightings are not a complete range map.
Look in moist, humus-rich woodland soil, especially on shaded slopes and in ravines. The deciduous fronds die back for winter.
Follow the dark branching stalks and the arrangement of the leaflets. The fanlike outline is more useful than the delicate texture alone.
The main axis divides into two branches that spread into a broad fan.
Reddish-black to dark stalks contrast with the green leaflets and help reveal the branching pattern.
The folded edges protect spore-bearing areas. Ferns reproduce by spores and do not produce flowers.
6 selected field photographs. Select any image to enlarge it and browse the slideshow.
Native to eastern North America, this fern grows in shaded deciduous woods with moist, well-drained soil.
Field photographs: Where’s Wildlife.
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